Grant Application Guidelines

Community Impact and Community Investment Grants

Community Impact and Community Investment grants are designed to stimulate and help launch new programs and projects; or to help focus, enhance, and/or expand an organization’s existing programs and services; or as an investment in a large capital project which is a critical enhancement to the mission of the nonprofit organization.

These competitive grants are primarily funded by the Hilton Head Island Foundation Endowment Fund. This fund was created by the proceeds from the sale of the nonprofit Hilton Head Island Hospital and its endowment was designated for competitive grantmaking within the hospital’s original service area. As a result, grants are restricted to organizations that serve people who live and/or work in the Hilton Head Island, Daufuskie Island or greater Bluffton area.

Competitive grant terms are typically 12 months, although multi-year requests may be considered, and have a request budget greater than $10,000.

Eligibility

To be eligible for funding an organization must:

Be a nonprofit organization with a tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue code, and are not classified as a private foundation;

Serve the people who live and/or work in the Hilton Head Island, Daufuskie Island or greater Bluffton area;

How to Apply

The first step in the application process is to attend a Grants Information Session to learn more about our grantmaking process and determine which programs would be suitable for your organization.

Selection Process

Community Impact and Community Investment grants follow a fixed schedule. Reviewing, considering and awarding grant proposals requires considerable time and attention and we encourage organizations to plan accordingly.

Our Grants Advisory Committee reviews the requests, conducts site visits and makes recommendations to the board of directors of Community Foundation of the Lowcountry. A determination on the committee’s recommendations is made by the Foundation’s board three times a year.

There are three application deadlines each year on the 15th of January, May and September. Proposals received by 5 p.m. on:

January 15 are considered by the Board in late March

May 15 are considered by the Board in late July

September 15 are considered by the Board in late November

Recent Grants

During our 2016 fiscal year, $660,703 was awarded to the following nonprofits under these programs:

Community Impact Grants

Bluffton Self Help: $40,000 to fund a development and marketing position

Programs for Exceptional People (PEP): $19,500 to fund a community liaison coordinator